Price-indicator



STATES PATET OFFICE.

PHINEAS TOPHAM, OF NEWARK, NEW' JERSEY.

PRICE-INDICATOR.

Specificaton of Letters Patent No. 27,084, dated. February '7, 1860.

To all whom 'it may concer'n:

Be it known that I, PHrNEAs TorHAM, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Indicator of Prices, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a face View of my invention when applied to a price-list of meat. Fig. 2 is a transverse Vertical section of ditto.

Similar letters in the figures refer to corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to indicate the Varying prices of difi'erent goods, etc., by a simple arrangement; and it consists in arranging one or more hinged strips in such relation to a series of figures, that the figure which corresponds to the current price of the article in question is exposed to the View; and in combining with this arrangement additional strips marked with the fractions occurring in the prices of the goods, so that the current price of a certain article can at all times be expressed with perfect accuracy.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a flat board divided into a number of panels corresponding to the number of articles to be represented. Each panel is furnished with a series of figures, B, which are marked one below the other on the surface of the board.

The figures marked on the surface of the board are covered up by hinged strips, b, and behind said figures and arranged on a rod, D is a slide, E, carrying a series of additional hinged strips, o, containing the fractions occurring in the price of the article marked on the face of the panel in question. These additional strips are turned back so that the figures marked on them are hidden, and if it is desired, for instance, to indicate the price of a pound of mutton to be S cents, the strip, b, opposite to the figure 8 is turned back so as to expose the 8 and the slide, E, is moved up until that one of the additional strips, o, which contains the fraction comes opposite to the figure 8, and said strip is now turned over so as to expose the fraction bringing the same at the same time close behind the figure 8.

When no fractions are needed the whole figures may be placed on the strips, b', and that one of them which contains the current price is now turned over so that when the price of corned pork is 10c. nothing is necessary but to turn over the strip, b', containing the figure 10.

From these exam les the operation of my indicator will be su ciently understood, and it must be remarked that with the proper modifications it can be applied to all purposes where it is desired to indicate Varying figures. At the same time it is so arranged that nothing can surpass its simplicity, so that the most uningenious person will easily understand its operation.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Combining with a series of figures, B, or its equivalent, a number of hinged strips, Z), with additional hinged strips, 0, or their equivalents substantially in the manuer and for the purpose specified.

PHINEAS TOPHAM.

Witnesses:

A. STEPHEN HoLBRooK, OLIVER R. SMI'rH. 

